A back-up pudding plan

CLEARLY there's no escaping the fact that Christmas is just around the corner.

If you've left your run too late in making a Christmas pudding (and, sadly, I have to inform you that now is indeed too late), all is not lost.

Several years ago I featured a frozen Christmas pudding and if you would like the recipe, just email me here at the Northern Star.

But here's a new recipe that is equally good, simple to make and you can choose to either freeze it in individual ramekins, pretty glass bowls, or just freeze it in a container and scoop it out at the table.

Choose your accompaniments from the following suggestions, or come up with your own ideas; the only limit is your imagination and the amount of effort you want to expend.

Bought custard (and even cheeky Brit celebrity chef Jamie Oliver concedes that sometimes there is nothing better than bought custard - but please, not the powdered one in a box; I mean prepared custard from the dairy section of your local grocers);

Chocolate topping or melted dark chocolate;

A berry coulis made from either fresh raspberries (if they're not too expensive) or the frozen variety if they are; simply whizz the berries in a food processor or blender and push through a sieve to remove the seeds;

Fresh passionfruit; or Two ripe mangoes pureed to pouring consistency.

I'll be serving mine with the prepared custard, a drizzle of choc topping and a few frozen berries scattered around.

This recipe starts with bought ice-cream; in order to add the extra ingredients you must soften the ice-cream just enough to allow the ingredients to be stirred through, then refreeze.

A word of warning; in our hot and humid Northern Rivers' December, you should need only to leave the ice-cream out of the freezer for 30-40 minutes at the most.

If it is reduced to a puddle of goo, you've lost all hope; it will refreeze flat and hard as all the air will have gone looking for the Arctic Circle.

Next week I will feature a light and lovely Christmas lunch dish that is easy to prepare and will keep you mostly out of the kitchen on the day.